


Episode Ten: "It Gets Better."

by iriswrites



Series: Skam Boston: Season 2 [11]
Category: Original Work, SKAM (Norway), SKAM (TV) RPF
Genre: Gen, Multi, aaaand more discussion of eds in clip six!!, and also straight girls being assholes, if y'all haven't guessed it's therapy week, it's the racism in primarily white theatre companies for me, my fave hets, skam 2x10, tw for discussion of eating disorders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iriswrites/pseuds/iriswrites
Summary: Rubina Patil’s already made a plan for the next two years: work her way into the running for valedictorian, get into Barnard on the pre~med track, and get the hell out of Massachusetts. Yeah, she’s constantly stressed out, and counting calories is the only thing that keeps her in control of her life, but it doesn’t matter. When she gets these three things, she can relax. Until then, she’ll just keep on working.Elias Rivera is not a part of this plan. Ruby shouldn't even be thinking about him. He's just another worry on her brain, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't get him off of her mind.Control. That's what Ruby will get. She'll stop at nothing to achieve that.Too bad her body's got other plans.
Relationships: Rubina "Ruby" Patil/Elias Rivera
Series: Skam Boston: Season 2 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879771
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Control

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 8:47 A.M.

INT. BEDROOM

RUBY is sleeping on a bed that's not hers, the sun lighting up her face. After a couple of moments, she blinks awake, her eyes adjusting to the light. 

She stretches slightly and looks over to her side. KARIMA is fast asleep on the other side of the other side of the bed, and on the floor, GRACIELA, JULIET, and HOLLY are sleeping atop masses of blankets. She smiles a bit and reaches over to check her phone.

There's a number of missed calls from NIKITA and then a single message that says "holly texted us nvm", along with a couple texts from ELIAS, the one visible to RUBY reading "hope everything's okay <3".

Her smile stays in place as she unlocks her phone and positions her fingers to text him back, but nothing comes to mind, so she just sends him a heart.

She stands up slowly, and KARIMA moves slightly but doesn't wake up. RUBY stretches a bit more and grabs her phone before walking out the door.

CUT TO: about ten minutes later.

RUBY reenters the bedroom, now in a different shirt. The rest of the girls are all awake now, GRACIELA quietly explaining something on her phone, but she stops when she sees RUBY.

GRACIELA:  
Hey!

RUBY smiles back, but it's a little forced.

RUBY:  
Hey.

She sits down on the bed hesitantly.

RUBY:  
How long was I asleep for?

KARIMA:  
At least ten hours, I think.

RUBY silently repeats that to herself before looking up.

RUBY:  
So about last night.

JULIET:  
Ruby, seriously, you don't have to talk about it right now...

RUBY:  
No, I do.

She nods to herself.

RUBY:  
I'm gonna have to anyways.

She swallows, thinking.

RUBY:  
I've kind of...been like this for a while now, I guess? At least ever since I was a kid. I hit puberty early, probably in elementary school, and my weight was all over the place because...you know, that's how puberty works. And my family's the way where they kind of point out your insecurities without really meaning to, so I knew that I was gaining weight. And I tried really hard to go back to the way I was before, but I was ten, you know? You don't know how to lose weight in a healthy way when you're _ten._ So I couldn't control it, and I hated that because all I've ever wanted to do is to just have some control over something. And so eventually my height caught up to my weight, but my brain...didn't.

She takes a deep breath.

RUBY:  
And then last year...um, I used to be friends with this girl before I moved. Vivi. We did theatre together, so we had this big group of friends, but...we were the closest. Like, we had been friends since middle school. And she was always so perfect, you know? Always getting lead roles, good grades...she was perfect. I, uh...I was probably a little bit in love with her, and I think that she knew it. But she'd always act like we were more than friends, and I kind of...I didn't know that she was straight. I mean, the way that she acted towards me made me think that she wasn't, which was stupid of me, but you know. I was in love with her, and I wasn't thinking straight, so one day I just...

She doesn't say it. Finally, JULIET speaks.

JULIET:  
[gently] You kissed her, didn't you?

RUBY nods, grateful that she didn't have to say it.

RUBY:  
She acted like I had done the most disgusting thing ever. And then she just...she sort of just made it her goal to ruin my life or whatever. I was Donna in _Mamma Mia_ right before we moved, and up until the performance she would spread all of these rumors about me, telling anyone who would listen that I didn't deserve the role and that I only got it because I could fill the school's diversity quota because I was Indian and not stick thin and a~~

She cuts off abruptly.

RUBY:  
I don't want to say it.

They're all quiet for a moment, the girls looking relatively angry.

Finally, RUBY clears her throat and continues.

RUBY:  
So I mean...it kind of started ramping up after that. Because there was so much going on that I couldn't control. It was easier to turn to the one thing that I _could_ control.

GRACIELA:  
But why didn't you stop when you moved?

RUBY:  
I guess that my head was stuck.

GRACIELA nods in understanding. RUBY laughs uncomfortably.

RUBY:  
So...yeah. That's about it. And it's all just been kind of escalating until now, I guess.

HOLLY nods for a moment before speaking.

HOLLY:  
Do you want help?

RUBY:  
I don't know what I want.

She laughs bitterly.

RUBY:  
I don't know where to start.

KARIMA:  
[slowly] Therapy is always good.

RUBY looks over at her, confused.

KARIMA:  
It helped me.

RUBY:  
What?

KARIMA shrugs.

KARIMA:  
I had~~ _have,_ I still have it...I have OCD. And it was pretty bad, but I went to therapy for a while and it really worked for me. So...I don't know. I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but you could always see if it helps.

RUBY nods, thinking it over.

RUBY:  
Yeah. I'll talk to my parents. Maybe.

KARIMA smiles wryly.

KARIMA:  
I know it's not the same thing, but it gets better. If that makes you feel any better.

RUBY:  
It...it does. Thanks.

GRACIELA:  
And if it doesn't, we're always gonna be here for you, no matter what. Okay?

RUBY smiles slightly.

RUBY:  
Okay.

JULIET:  
So...can we hug now?

RUBY laughs, and JULIET grins, standing up. The girls hug.

HOLLY pulls away first, smiling.

HOLLY:  
Can I make pancakes?

GRACIEKA:  
Why are you asking for permission?

HOLLY laughs.

HOLLY:  
How many should I make?

RUBY:  
I'll eat some.

HOLLY smiles at her, and as the rest of the girls file out of the room, she turns towards RUBY.

HOLLY:  
Karima was right, though. It gets better.

RUBY smiles.

RUBY:  
I hope so.

HOLLY:  
I know so.

They smile at each other and exit the room together as the camera cuts away.


	2. Therapist

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 7:24 P.M.

INT. BEDROOM

RUBY is lying on her bed, her laptop out in front of her, her eyebrows creased. _Work Song_ by Hozier plays quietly in the background.

She pulls up a private tab and types in "therapists near me". A Google search page appears with a ton of results, and she scrolls down, stopping at the maps section of the page.

Her face twists up as she looks at the locations, all relatively far out of the city. She tries pressing on the first therapist that she sees, but her face falls once she sees the price of the therapist listed at the bottom.

She quickly types in "cost of therapists in boston" and presses on the first website that pops up.

Her mouth falls open slightly as she reads "Average therapy sessions by city reflect the cost of living in each city. The average cost of private therapy in Boston can be upwards of $175 per session."

She swallows, thinking, before typing in "boston children's hospital therapy". She presses on the first website, bringing her to Boston Children's Hospital's psychiatry page.

She scrolls down, reading it, her eyebrows creasing again as she reads about a diagnostic evaluation.

There's not much information that she can get without scheduling an appointment, so she continues scrolling down.

She stops about halfway through the page, reading some more. Her mouse hovers over the link to the eating disorder program, and she contemplates pressing on it before navigating away and exiting the tab.

She thinks for another moment before searching up "online therapy", but as she reads through the results, there's nothing that satisfies her.

She stares at her computer for another moment, her hands positioned over the keyboard, thinking about what to type.

Finally, she very slowly types in "eating disorder therapists near me" before backing up and retyping “therapists near me" for the second time.

She stares at that for another moment before backing up again and typing in "do i really need a therapist".

She hesitates for a moment before searching. The camera pans away from the computer as she reads something, her forehead puckered up.

She finally sighs, shutting the laptop and pushing it away before pulling up her blankets up and staring into space.


	3. Not Even a Crush

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 4:17 P.M.

INT. LIBRARY

RUBY and ISAAC are sitting across from each other in the nearly empty school library, both with notebooks out in front of them. ISAAC is balancing the end of his pencil on his lip, staring at his notebook. After a moment, he pushes it away, sighing.

ISAAC:  
Alright, I'm over this.

RUBY looks up, smiling slightly.

RUBY:  
It's only been half an hour.

ISAAC:  
Yeah, but this shit is boring, and it's due next week anyways. 

RUBY:  
So...we should get it done now, then.

ISAAC:  
We don't _have_ to.

RUBY:  
You don't have to, but when my part is finished and you've still barely started, I'm not helping you.

ISAAC stares at her for a moment before bursting out into laughter, and RUBY smiles more.

RUBY:  
Shut up before the librarian kills you.

ISAAC:  
If she does then I don't have to do this, right?

RUBY:  
Was it a bad idea to choose you for a partner?

ISAAC:  
Probably.

RUBY rolls her eyes and smiles, looking back down at her paper. ISAAC sits still for a second before grabbing his pencil and starting to write again. His phone buzzes and he looks over to check it, disinterested, but his smile turns softer as he reads the message. RUBY notices.

RUBY:  
Someone special?

ISAAC:  
What?

He looks up, his face red.

ISAAC:  
No.

RUBY:  
Was it Alyssa?

ISAAC:  
Why would it be Alyssa?

RUBY:  
I don't know, you guys had a thing.

ISAAC:  
I~~no. It's not Alyssa. It's just...

RUBY:  
You wanna talk about it?

ISAAC doesn't say anything, continuing to stare at his phone. RUBY watches him for a moment before sighing and closing her notebook.

RUBY:  
Okay, let's take a break.

ISAAC:  
Why?

RUBY:  
Because I could honestly care less about British colonies, and you're...definitely not in the right headspace to study. Let's go to the vending machine.

She says the last part carefully, almost unsure, and ISAAC notices it.

ISAAC:  
Everything okay?

RUBY:  
Yeah. Let's go.

ISAAC stares at her for a moment, and RUBY stands up, picking up her notebook.

RUBY:  
Coming?

ISAAC raises his eyebrows, still staring at her as the camera shifts.

INT. CAFETERIA

The cafeteria is completely empty. RUBY and ISAAC stand in front of a vending machine, ISAAC punching in some numbers. A bag of chips falls to the bottom, and he reaches in, grabbing it. He turns to RUBY.

ISAAC:  
Do you want anything?

RUBY shakes her head. As ISAAC looks down, opening his chips, she looks down at her phone nonchalantly.

RUBY:  
[carefully] I liked a friend once. Like that.

ISAAC:  
Elias, yeah, I knew that already.

RUBY:  
I~~you know about that?

ISAAC looks up, shrugging.

ISAAC:  
Yeah? Was it supposed to be a secret?

RUBY:  
No, I just...I didn't know that he told you.

ISAAC:  
You know that me and Elias have known each other since, like, kindergarten, right?

RUBY blinks.

RUBY:  
No.

ISAAC:  
Yeah, we play soccer together. And he and my sister are really good friends. They went to the same therapist or something.

RUBY takes that in, nodding. 

RUBY:  
Okay, well...this was before I moved here. It was actually my best friend.

ISAAC swallows, not looking at her.

RUBY:  
We did everything together. We had all of our classes together, we did all of the same shows...I mean, we basically spent every second together. So it's not really that surprising that I had a crush.

ISAAC is still looking away, eating a chip.

RUBY:  
But she was straight, so...that was kind of an issue.

ISAAC looks up, trying not to look too interested.

ISAAC:  
She?

RUBY:  
Mhmm.

ISAAC:  
So...you're gay?

RUBY laughs, a bit in shock.

RUBY:  
Bi. But yeah. She.

She waits for a moment. ISAAC is silent.

RUBY:  
Why?

ISAAC presses his lips together, thinking.

RUBY:  
You can talk to me. I won't say anything to anyone.

ISAAC:  
[quietly] I know.

He doesn't continue his sentence. RUBY waits, looking at him, and he finally sighs.

ISAAC:  
I'm not gay.

RUBY:  
...okay?

ISAAC:  
It's probably not even a crush, it's just...

He tries to explain, but gives up after a moment. RUBY smiles.

RUBY:  
No, I know.

ISAAC:  
It's not...it's not that obvious, is it?

RUBY:  
Not really. I've just...I've been there before, so, you know. I know what it looks like.

ISAAC clears his throat.

ISAAC:  
[repeated] I'm not gay.

RUBY:  
You said that already.

ISAAC:  
I liked Alyssa. I might still like her.

RUBY:  
I'm not saying that you don't.

ISAAC:  
Can we just...

He stares down at his chip bag.

ISAAC:  
We should go back.

RUBY contemplates saying something, but after a moment she nods.

RUBY:  
Okay.

ISAAC:  
Okay.

He looks up, briefly making eye contact with her before looking away, and then crumples up his chip bag and starts heading out of the cafeteria.

RUBY stares after him for a moment, just thinking, before sighing and following him.


	4. The Right Person

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 3:44 P.M.

EXT. ROOFTOP

RUBY is sitting on the rooftop, her knees drawn up to her chest with a jacket on top of them as she reads. Across from her, ELIAS is on his back, his phone camera pointed up at the sky. He presses a button and something snaps, and then he sits up.

ELIAS:  
Got it.

RUBY:  
Let me see?

ELIAS leans over, showing the photo to her, and she leans forward. She smiles after a moment. 

RUBY:  
Okay, that's really good.

ELIAS:  
Really?

RUBY:  
They're always good. But I like this one the best.

ELIAS smiles, looking down.

ELIAS:  
It's okay.

RUBY:  
Seriously, it's way better than just _okay._

ELIAS shakes his head. 

ELIAS:  
It's just a phone picture, it's nothing special.

RUBY shrugs.

RUBY:  
It's special to me.

ELIAS bites his lip, smiling.

ELIAS:  
Thanks.

He kisses her cheek before leaning back, looking back up at the sky. RUBY squints at the time on her phone.

RUBY:  
Don't you have to leave soon?

ELIAS:  
For what?

RUBY:  
...Thanksgiving?

ELIAS:  
I'm not going anywhere.

RUBY frowns.

RUBY:  
Aren't you going to New York?

ELIAS:  
I was supposed to, but it got cancelled. My dad got busy.

RUBY:  
Seriously?

ELIAS shrugs.

ELIAS:  
This happens every year, I'm not surprised.

RUBY:  
You could come over to my place. We don't really do Thanksgiving. My siblings really liked you, you could meet them again.

ELIAS laughs.

ELIAS:  
Yeah, _liked_ is one way to put it.

RUBY:  
They do! They're just...they're really weird. You'll get used to them eventually.

ELIAS laughs again, but he shakes his head.

ELIAS:  
I'm probably gonna go to Graciela's, but thanks.

RUBY:  
Mhmm.

They're quiet for another moment. RUBY hesitates, like she wants to say something, and then she just goes for it.

RUBY:  
I was talking to Isaac yesterday, and he said that you and his sister went to the same therapist?

ELIAS:  
Kailey? Yeah.

RUBY:  
Do you still go?

ELIAS snorts with laughter.

ELIAS:  
No. Not in, like, a year.

RUBY is slightly stung.

RUBY:  
Was it that bad?

ELIAS:  
Why?

RUBY:  
I'm just...I'm just asking.

ELIAS stares at her for a moment. Suddenly, realization hits him.

ELIAS:  
Are you thinking about going?

RUBY:  
What? Why would I want to go?

ELIAS:  
I don't know.

RUBY is quiet for a second, and then she sighs.

RUBY:  
I...was thinking about it, yeah. But if it was that bad...

ELIAS:  
That was just how it was for me. That doesn't mean that it's not gonna help for you.

RUBY:  
What?

ELIAS thinks for a moment.

ELIAS:  
Look, Kailey's my best friend. Even more than Julian. And she was...the only person that I knew with any sort of mental illness when it got bad. So of course I asked her what to do, and she gave me her therapist's number, and I went for a while. But there was a lot to get through, and she wanted to do that faster than I could handle, so it just didn't really work out. I mean, it made me feel worse than I already did. So I stopped going. But if you find the right person...I don't know. I just think that the circumstances are different.

RUBY:  
How?

ELIAS:  
I guess that you've just got more people who know what it's like. 

RUBY:  
I do?

ELIAS:  
I think so. And even just the reasons for going. I kind of got forced into it, which...is also probably why it didn't really work, now that I think about it. But you wanna go, right?

RUBY:  
I...I don't know yet. Someone recommended it, just because I've kind of been...

She waves her hands around, trying to explain. ELIAS'S face softens.

ELIAS:  
I know.

RUBY:  
Like that.

ELIAS:  
Do you wanna talk about it?

RUBY:  
Not really.

She squints, and then she corrects herself.

RUBY:  
Not yet.

ELIAS:  
Okay. Yeah. I get that.

RUBY:  
You're not gonna push it?

ELIAS:  
That's not gonna help.

RUBY stares at him for a moment, smiling in shock, and then she leans forward and kisses him. He smiles, and she pulls away after a moment.

ELIAS:  
What was that for?

RUBY:  
Just...thank you.

ELIAS:  
For being a decent human being?

RUBY:  
For not making it worse than it already is.

ELIAS stares at her for a moment, almost like he's trying to figure her out. Slowly, he leans forward and kisses her again, his hands on her face. She smiles and kisses him back as the camera pulls away.


	5. Problem

p>THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 7:10 P.M.

INT. LIVING ROOM

RUBY is sitting on the couch on her phone, her ankles crossed. A video is playing on her phone, and she giggles after a moment. A couple of moments pass by, and then KARTHIK enters the room.

KARTHIK:  
Niki, where's the~~

He stops, noticing RUBY. She turns her phone off.

RUBY:  
What?

KARTHIK:  
Nothing. I just needed to know where the charger is.

RUBY:  
Like...for your laptop?

KARTHIK:  
Yeah, Niki had it last, so...

He trails off, nodding.

RUBY:  
She's in the bathroom.

KARTHIK:  
Okay. Yeah.

He sits down hesitantly in a chair.

KARTHIK:  
I'll just...wait here, I guess?

RUBY:  
Okay?

KARTHIK:  
Okay.

He looks uncomfortable. RUBY rolls her eyes, turning her phone back on, and KARTHIK continues to stare outwards. After a moment, a door can be heard opening and shutting, and then NIKITA appears in the room.

NIKITA:  
What?

KARTHIK:  
What?

NIKITA:  
I could hear you screaming from all the way over there. What do you want?

KARTHIK:  
The charger?

NIKITA:  
I literally gave that back to you.

KARTHIK:  
...no? You didn't?

NIKITA:  
Yes, I did. This morning.

KARTHIK:  
You literally~~

NIKITA:  
I put it in your room, what the fuck are you on?

RUBY raises her eyebrows, clearly amused.

KARTHIK:  
Then why didn't you tell me that?

NIKITA shrugs.

NIKITA:  
Not my problem.

KARTHIK'S mouth falls open and he glares at her as she falls down into the seat next to him. She notices RUBY and looks away quickly before slowly looking back at her. RUBY raises her eyebrows.

RUBY:  
Hey?

NIKITA:  
How was dinner?

RUBY rolls her eyes again.

RUBY:  
This again?

KARTHIK gives NIKITA a look, and she shrugs. He looks back over at RUBY.

KARTHIK:  
We wanted to apologize.

RUBY stares at him, and he sighs.

KARTHIK:  
For...what happened.

RUBY:  
Your intervention.

KARTHIK:  
...yeah. That.

NIKITA:  
We, uh...we went a little too far.

KARTHIK:  
Yeah, so...if we made you upset or anything...we're really sorry about it.

RUBY stares at them for a moment, and then she laughs. NIKITA and KARTHIK exchange a look.

NIKITA:  
What?

RUBY:  
That was the worst fucking apology I've ever heard.

NIKITA:  
We were just really worried about you.

RUBY:  
What, so the only way to deal with that was by forcing me to eat? And pointing out all of the shit that I had been dealing with?

KARTHIK:  
We know that we fucked up~~

NIKITA:  
Yeah, we know that mental illness can be hard.

RUBY:  
No offense, but it's completely different for you.

NIKITA takes a deep breath.

NIKITA:  
We should start over.

RUBY:  
Yeah, I'd advise that.

NIKITA:  
We're really fucking sorry. We just wanted to look out for you.

KARTHIK:  
We know that you had a hard year, but we didn't really expect it to...I don't know, get to this level. We just wanted to help.

NIKITA:  
But obviously we didn't.

RUBY:  
No shit...

NIKITA:  
So...how can we help?

A beat.

RUBY:  
You're actually asking?

KARTHIK:  
Yeah? You're our sister, Ruby. Of course we want to help.

RUBY smiles slightly. She hesitates before looking over at NIKITA.

RUBY:  
You went to therapy.

NIKITA:  
During high school? Yeah, why?

RUBY doesn't say anything, and NIKITA raises her eyebrows.

NIKITA:  
 _Oh._

RUBY:  
It's good, right? It'll make me feel better?

NIKITA:  
Well, yeah, but it won't _fix_ you.

RUBY deflates, and NIKITA notices it. She sighs.

NIKITA:  
Look, I was...I had a lot going on. So I went into therapy thinking that it was gonna change everything. Because that's how people on the internet act, right? Like all you have to do is admit that you have a problem and go to therapy and then everything's gonna magically get better. But that's not how it is. There's...you have to do a lot of work on your own, and even then it might still take years to feel better. Or it might not even work, and you have to try medication or...or something. So...you can't really go in expecting everything to just instantly become better. That's gonna slow everything down a _lot._ But it's helpful too, you know? So I'd try it out, see how it goes...it can be a really good thing.

RUBY sits still for a moment before nodding slowly. KARTHIK squints at her.

KARTHIK:  
Have you admitted it yet?

RUBY:  
What?

KARTHIK:  
That there's something wrong.

RUBY:  
Oh, um...

She thinks for a second.

RUBY:  
I don't really know.

NIKITA:  
Say it out loud. Then you'll know for sure.

RUBY swallows, takes a deep breath, and then slowly~~

RUBY:  
I have a problem.

NIKITA:  
See? That's a good start. 

RUBY:  
...now what?

KARTHIK:  
What do you want to do?

RUBY:  
I don't know...maybe talk to Aai and Baba?

NIKITA shrugs.

NIKITA:  
That worked for me. They come home early tomorrow, it's Friday anyways.

RUBY:  
Um...

She lets out a breath.

RUBY:  
Yeah. I'll do it.

NIKITA:  
Whatever you want to do.

She smiles slowly.

NIKITA:  
I'm gonna hug you now.

RUBY:  
Oh, god...

NIKITA:  
This is a hugging moment!

RUBY:  
It doesn't~~

NIKITA has always gotten up and crossed the room to hug her. RUBY laughs.

RUBY:  
Niki!

KARTHIK joins the hug, and RUBY finally relaxes, _If By Chance_ by Ruth B beginning to play in the background. She smiles, finally at peace, like things are finally getting better.

KARTHIK:  
Okay. Yeah.


	6. Perfect

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 8:12 P.M.

INT. LIVING ROOM

RUBY is standing just outside of her living room, hidden from the view of her parents as they talk quietly in the background. She looks hesitant, almost like she isn't even sure if she even wants to go in. After a moment, she takes a deep breath and enters the room.

SHIVANI is sitting on the floor, an assortment of bags in front of her, as AKASH stands in front of her.

AKASH:  
But do we really need all of this?

SHIVANI:  
I don't know, the sale was just so good...

AKASH:  
...yes, but we can't return it.

SHIVANI:  
So if we don't use it, we can give it to one of the girls. Their kids are all growing so fast, they could use some of these clothes.

AKASH:  
You do this every year.

SHIVANI:  
And every year the sale just gets better and better...

She looks up, noticing RUBY.

SHIVANI:  
Rubina! Come and see what I bought!

RUBY raises her eyebrows, walking closer to her.

SHIVANI:  
Everything in the clearance section was 70% off, I bought you and Nikita some clothes...you liked this shirt the last time we went, right?

RUBY looks inside the bag.

RUBY:  
Oh, yeah, I liked that.

SHIVANI:  
Wait, stand up straight for a second.

RUBY rolls her shoulders back as SHIVANI holds the shirt up to her and smiles.

SHIVANI:  
Perfect.

RUBY smiles, but it's a bit forced. She waits for a moment and then takes a deep breath.

RUBY:  
Can I talk to you about something?

AKASH looks over at her, a bit concerned.

AKASH:  
Is something wrong?

RUBY:  
Um...

She hesitates for a moment.

RUBY:  
Kind of?

AKASH'S eyebrows crease, and he sits down onto the couch. SHIVANI looks up.

SHIVANI:  
Is it about last week?

RUBY:  
What?

SHIVANI:  
With Dana? Because...well, I thought a lot about that, and I've realized that you were right. We've only got two more years with you, and I've been taking on more work than necessary. So I'll cut down the hours that I need, and I'll come home earlier. And I'll spend more time with you and your siblings. Does that sound good?

RUBY is taken aback slightly. AKASH is smiling over at SHIVANI, and slowly RUBY smiles herself.

RUBY:  
Well...that wasn't it, but I'd like that, yeah.

SHIVANI:  
Then what was it?

RUBY:  
Um...it's just that...

She takes a deep breath.

RUBY:  
You know how I've been...kind of weird, right?

SHIVANI nods slightly. AKASH looks confused.

AKASH:  
Other than when you started running...not really.

RUBY laughs slightly.

RUBY:  
That's...honestly kind of part of it.

SHIVANI:  
Do you know why?

RUBY:  
Yeah. I do.

She steadies herself.

RUBY:  
I've been...feeling sort of out of control for weeks now. Like, whatever I do isn't good enough, and I can't control what happens to me. My grades, my friends, my boyfriend~~

AKASH:  
You have a boyfriend?

RUBY:  
Didn't Vidya Aunty tell you?

SHIVANI smiles slightly.

SHIVANI:  
She, uh...she did, actually. But I didn't want to say anything until you did. It's your thing to talk about, hm?

RUBY nods, smiling.

RUBY:  
Yeah.

SHIVANI:  
So what were you saying?

RUBY:  
Right, um...

She swallows, sitting down on the arm of a chair.

RUBY:  
So it's all like...I haven't been able to handle everything, because it feels like everything's spinning around in my head. I needed something to control, something...something that I could deal with that didn't have anything from outside influencing it. So I guess that...the only thing that I could _do_ that with was my weight.

AKASH looks confused, but realization has dawned over SHIVANI'S face. RUBY swallows again, not looking at either of them.

RUBY:  
It's been getting worse over the last couple of weeks. Like, really bad, and I don't really know how to fix it. I think that therapy could help? But I'm not really sure if I'm gonna be able to handle going through all of that just for it not to work, so...I don't know what to do. I think that~~

SHIVANI:  
Rubina.

RUBY looks up tentatively. SHIVANI looks troubled.

SHIVANI:  
What are you saying?

RUBY:  
I'm, uh...

She lets out a breath.

RUBY:  
I think that I might have an eating disorder?

She shrugs.

RUBY:  
Or something.

Her eyes flick back upwards. SHIVANI'S head is in her hands, while AKASH still looks confused.

AKASH:  
I don't understand. You're not underweight or anything.

SHIVANI:  
[quietly] There's no minimum weight to be anorexic.

RUBY:  
I'm not anorexic.

SHIVANI:  
Bulimic?

RUBY:  
No, I'm just...I don't know what it is. I just have all of these thoughts, and they make me want to lose weight, and to be perfect or whatever. I don't know what that is. I just know that I want it to stop.

AKASH:  
And so...how do you do that?

RUBY:  
I don't know. I tried looking it up, but I didn't know how much of it was accurate.

SHIVANI:  
Therapy, medication, a nutritionist...

She looks up, determined.

SHIVANI:  
I can call Nikita's old therapist right now and schedule an appointment for next week.

AKASH:  
Shivani, slow down~~

SHIVANI:  
No, we can't do that. We have to treat this as soon as possible.

AKASH:  
I think that Rubina wants to say something.

He looks up at RUBY, who nods gratefully.

RUBY:  
I don't want you to think that I'm~~that I'm _broken_ or anything.

AKASH:  
We don't think that.

RUBY:  
I'm still me.

SHIVANI:  
Of course you're still you, it's just that...

She swallows. When she looks up, her eyes are teary.

SHIVANI:  
You're not a mother yet, you wouldn't know, but...it's hard to believe, you know? That you would ever see yourself like that. That you don't see yourself the same way that we did when you were born, when we saw you for the first time. You were so perfect. To me, to us...you're still perfect. So it's just difficult to understand.

She smiles, wiping her eyes.

SHIVANI:  
But we're glad that you want help.

AKASH:  
Do you want help?

RUBY:  
I...

She stops, thinking.

RUBY:  
I want to feel better. If that means therapy, then...I'm okay with that, I think.

AKASH:  
Should we call Nikita's therapist, then?

RUBY:  
I don't know, maybe?

SHIVANI and AKASH exchange a look, and then SHIVANI stands up.

SHIVANI:  
We can wait until tomorrow.

She walks closer to RUBY, kissing her forehead.

SHIVANI:  
It'll be okay.

RUBY closes her eyes, nodding, as SHIVANI disappears into the kitchen. AKASH stands up, looking hesitant.

AKASH:  
It's good that you told us this.

He swallows, thinking.

AKASH:  
Um, your mother would never tell you this, but...her sister was like you, sort of.

RUBY frowns.

RUBY:  
Seriously?

AKASH:  
Mhmm. Rhea. It never got so bad, but she had to go to therapy and everything...she did get better.

He nods for a moment.

AKASH:  
I don't know if it's genetic or anything, but...she did get better.

He offers her a smile.

AKASH:  
Nikita's therapist was very good. She helped her a lot. She can help you too.

RUBY:  
That...sounds good.

AKASH:  
Don't tell Rhea I said that, though.

RUBY:  
I won't.

AKASH smiles at her again, following SHIVANI into the kitchen as _epiphany_ by Taylor Swift begins to play.

The camera pans towards RUBY, who's smiling, a bit shocked. The camera freezes on her face before pulling away.

_CUT TO BLACK_

_CUT TO END CREDITS_


End file.
